Start with your division
Most regular SPBCWTA divisions field six doubles positions and start at 10 am on the division's scheduled weekday. 55 LOVE fields three positions, with starts between 10 and 11:30 am unless captains arrange an earlier start and notify the division president. Check which competition you are entering before applying a rule from another team.
Regular-division players must be at least 25 before the first match. For 55 LOVE, a player must reach 55 by the end of the season. Players must be approved and rostered before playing; being a member of the club is not enough.
Official source: Structure of Teams 1-2, p. 5; 55 LOVE 1-3, p. 18
How SPBCWTA points work
The league awards one team point for each set won, including sets won in retired matches. A completed match won in straight sets therefore contributes two points to the winning team and none to its opponent. In a three-set match, the winner takes two points and the loser keeps one for its set.
Set points explain why saving a set matters even when you lose your individual match. EloCup's player ratings are a separate analysis; use the league's scoring rules when reading official team points. The handbook excerpt reviewed here does not establish a complete end-of-season standings-tiebreak sequence, so ask the division president rather than assuming head-to-head decides it.
Official source: Match Day Procedures 12, pp. 11-12; Definitions 6, p. 1
Full third set or 10-point tiebreak?
In the regular competition, all four players must agree to replace the third set with a super tiebreak. If even one player wants a full third set, the full set is played. Decide at the end of the second set, before anyone leaves the court, without input from coaches, spectators or other players.
A super tiebreak is first to 10 points with a two-point margin. 55 LOVE always uses this format instead of a full third set. A regular set reaches a seven-point tiebreak at 6-6, also requiring a two-point margin. The handbook describes end changes after every six points in that set tiebreak; do not import another league's Coman procedure.
Official source: Match Day Procedures 15-16, pp. 13-14; 55 LOVE 4, p. 18
How far can a player move between lines?
Regular-division players may move no more than two positions in either direction, following the match schedule order. 55 LOVE allows only one position. A player's first match may be at any position, but lineups still need to reflect playing level. Substitutes start at the bottom.
An unfinished rain makeup does not erase the scheduled lineup's effect on subsequent weeks. If a lineup infraction has already occurred, the next placement is calculated from the position of the error. The handbook's own example moves a player from position 2 to 5 in violation, then uses position 5 as the reference for her following match.
Official source: Match Day Procedures 8, p. 10; 19C-D, pp. 15-16
Substitutes need approval and correct placement
Ask your rostered players before using a substitute. The captain must submit the Player Substitution Form and receive approval before the substitute plays. A substitute is not added more than seven days before that match. The usual route is an eligible player from your club one or two divisions below, with specific club and lowest-division exceptions in the handbook.
One substitute must play position 6. Two substitutes both play position 6. With three, two play position 6 and the other position 5. Higher-ranked substitutes fill the higher available positions when substitutes come from different divisions. A team can use at most four substitutes in a week, and a player can substitute at most ten times for one team in each appropriate division.
Moving between regular divisions and 55 LOVE is not an informal substitute arrangement: the player must also join the other team's roster and pay the registration fee. Roster additions close after March 1.
Official source: Match Day Procedures 14, pp. 12-13; Team Rosters 6F-G, p. 7
Rain makeups: the roster exchange matters
The handbook requires up to an hour's wait for rain, lightning or wet courts, including interruptions after play starts. Home tennis professionals determine court playability. Check the league's match-day alerts; the Board aims to post extreme-weather instructions by 8 am.
After rosters are exchanged, they are permanent. Keep all played points and games, and agree on the date, time and place to resume before leaving. Before rosters are exchanged, captains arrange the positions' schedules without exchanging player names. Both captains submit the Rescheduled Match Report by 5 pm.
Makeups ordinarily must finish within 15 calendar days. A further rainout permits another 15 days, but all matches must finish seven days before the end-of-year luncheon. Only completed sets earn points if that final deadline is missed. An approved non-weather flex match requires the division president's approval before approaching the opposing captain.
Official source: General Topics 4, pp. 3-4; Match Day Procedures 18-19, pp. 14-16
Common SPBCWTA questions
Can we change players after exchanging rosters?
For weather rescheduling, exchanged rosters are binding. Do not exchange the full roster while rain is imminent unless you are ready to start.
Do forfeits start from the bottom?
Yes. Forfeit the lowest position and move the remaining lines up. 55 LOVE also forfeits from the bottom.
Official source: Match Day Procedures 5B, p. 8; 55 LOVE 5, p. 18
Can I switch teams midseason if I have not played?
No. The handbook prohibits a team transfer once the season has started, regardless of match participation.
Is there a warm-up?
All players must take a ten-minute warm-up with their opponents immediately after roster exchange, using new balls from the home team.
Can my coach help between sets?
Coaching is permitted during a rain delay and the break between the second and third sets. Do not treat that as permission to coach during ordinary play.
Can I use my smartwatch during play?
Mobile devices must be off or in airplane mode. Calls, texts and email, including through watches, are prohibited during the match. Videotaping is also prohibited.
Who submits the scores?
The home captain enters final scores by 5 pm on match day. Both captains enter the opponent sportsmanship rating by that deadline.
Does 55 LOVE use the same movement rule?
No. Regular divisions allow two-position movement; 55 LOVE allows one. Its separate section also changes format, roster minimum and forfeit penalties.
Official source: Match Day Procedures 8B-C, p. 10; 55 LOVE, p. 18
How do I raise a complaint?
Contact the division president immediately after the match. A formal written grievance must reach her within seven days of the incident.
Does a retirement mean every set is lost?
No. The non-retiring pair receives two match points, while the retiring pair retains a point for a set already won. The handbook distinguishes retirement from forfeit and default.
Official source: Definitions 6, p. 1; Scoring 12A, p. 11; 19C(iii), p. 15
Official source: References appear with each answer.
Use the official handbook for a decision
This guide explains selected rules, rather than replacing the handbook or a ruling from the division president. The 2026-2027 document contains labels such as A-3 and C-3 in places where the current team-structure list differs. Use your registered division and ask the Association to resolve scope questions rather than inventing an equivalence.
For a lineup dispute, substitute exception, penalty or end-of-season tie, check the exact official provision and current instructions. The handbook is the primary source when general tennis rules differ from a league-specific rule.
Official source: General Topics introductory text, p. 2; Team Structure, p. 5; Penalties, p. 17
Captain’s match-day checklist
- Confirm regular doubles or 55 LOVE, the division start time and the approved roster.
- Check player movement in match schedule order, including outstanding rain makeups.
- Get substitution approval and place substitutes correctly.
- Bring the handbook, exchange accurate score sheets and take the ten-minute warm-up.
- Agree on the regular-division third-set format at the required time; use the mandatory super tiebreak in 55 LOVE.
- Report scores, sportsmanship and rescheduling by the applicable deadlines.
Use the linked rule references above when checking each item.
Official sources and scope
Official SPBCWTA 2026-2027 Handbook. Checked November 2, 2026.
Regular divisions and 55 LOVE have different formats. This independent explanation follows the official 2026-2027 handbook, verified November 2, 2026. The handbook and current Board instructions govern. References use printed handbook pages. No past-season applicability is implied.
Examples illustrate the published rules. They are not league rulings or statements about a particular player. Confirm amendments and disputed interpretations with your league before acting.